Ink fountain drive



. A. J -CARPENTER; JR 2,351,012

INK FOUNTAIN DRIVE Filed Oct. 8, 1942 June 13, 1944.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jine 1944- A. J. CARPENTER, J 2,351,012 v INK FOUNTAIN DRIVE Filed Oct. 8, 1942 Sheets- Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INK FOUNTAIN DRIVE Filed 061;. 8, 1942 A. J. CARPENTER, JR

' June 13, 1944.

" relented June 13, 1944 2,351,012 FOUNTAIN puma Albert J. Carpenter, 3r

signer to The Duplex Battle Creek,- lmch a Battle Creek, Mich, as

Printing PICS! ml corpol'ltion of Michigan Application October a, 1942, Serial N... 1.335 10 Claims. (01. 191-216) invention is a novel automatic uni-directional fountainv drive for use in printing presses. particularly color printing presses in which the direction of rotation otthe printing couples of the unit proper are subject to change, as one'of the printing couples may be rotated in one direc-' tion while another is rotated in the other direction, or both printing couples may be rotated in the same direction.

Heretofore in driving ink fountains of such printing presses various manual operations have 1 been necessary whenever it has been found expedient to change the direction-of rotation of the printing couples, one method heretofore-used beto change the relative rotations of the fountain rollers and printing couples by manually sllpping certain gears into and out of mesh and alternating them with other trains the requisite rotative fountain roll movement. Such procedure necessarily entailed manual manipulation of parts, such as gear guards and the like, and consequent delays and annoyance to the press operators.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel mechanism which eliminates the necessity for manual operation to change the direction of rotation of the fountain rollers, and which automatically drives the ink fountain rollers in the. same constant direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the associated print-. ing couples, the fountain roll according .to my invention being rotated in one direction independent of the direction of rotation of the motive power, which direction is generally governed by the rotational governments of the associated printing couples. a

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof, to enableothers familiar with the art to adopt and use the same: and will summarize in the claims, theinovel' features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

in said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a pair of printing couples of a printing press showing the fountain rollers drivenby means of my novel printing couples.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, showing the intermediate drive of one fountain roller, detached.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section shaft, on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section along the-output shaft, on the line 4-4; Fig.2.

along the input Fig. dis a transverse section on the line 55,

Fig. 4.

Fig. dis a, transverse sectionon the line 66,

of gears to give Fig. 1 illustrates, diagrammatically, a color printing press having a pair of printing couples consisting of two impression having an "associated plate cylinder B cooperating therewith, the plate cylinders each being supplied with ink from suitable inking drums C re.- ceiving ink through the usual form and com osition rolls from a ductor roll E-cooperating ith a fountain roller F of fountains G, each fountain roll F being driven through my novel intermediate drive housed in a casing H, each intermediate drive being actuated from the shaft A of the related impression cylinder A.

In Fig. 1' web W is led downwardly over a guide J and under guide Klbetween one of the impression cylinders A and its plate cylinder B, then upwardly between the impression cylinders A and between the other impression cylinderfand, its plate cylinder B, from whence 'the web continues downwardly and may be passed between lower printing couples or led to other desired devices. In Fig; l the arrangement is such that the printing couple prints on both sides of the paper web W; and two or more colors may be printed on each side of the web by various arrangements of printing couples.

ment of the couples is a function of color printing, and for the'beneflt of higher grade color work it is often found advisable to rotate both printing couples in the same direction. Thus in color printing th printing couples may be arranged to rotate in either the clockwise or anticlockwise direction; but independent of whichever direction the printing couples rotate it is compulsory to retain the same direction of rota.- tion of the fountain rolls P at all times, due to the fact that the rollers are operated in contiguity to their respective ink scrapin plates which are carried by the ink fountains G. 'Heretofore, in driving the fountain rolls of printing presses, various manual operations have been necessary in order to change the relative rotation them with othe intermediate fountaindrive, from the associated of the fountain rollers and printing couples of the unit proper, one method being to slip certain gears into and out of mesh and alternate r trains of gears arranged to give the requisite fountain roll movement.

. According to my invention, a novel intermediate drive is provided which eliminates the necessity of such changes, and which automatically will drive the ink fountain roll F in the same constant direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the related printing couple which governs the drive of the fountain roll. My invention consists of a novel mechanismadapted to be used for an intermediate drive of the fountain roller allowing the press to be run in either direction but by means of which mechanism the fountain roll will always be driven in the same direction. I

cylinders A, each Changing rotatory move- 2 or the like.

. bearing 1 mounted in a bore somewhat or the like.

is a clutch member the shaft l4 and friction bearings 2 20 as clearly shown in having in its outer face a series of tapering recesses 24a (Figs. 4 direction, said slots 24a containing rollers 28 As shown in Figs. 2-6 the intermediate fountain drive H consists of a generally rectangular casing I open at one side, said open side having a cover plate 2 removably secured thereto by bolts Adjacent one end of casing I is an input shaft 4 mounted at one end in anti-friction bearings I interposed between shaft 4 and a bore la inthe side of easing I. said bore being normally closed by cap plated. The opposite end of shaft 4 is similarly iournaled in anti-friction 2a in the plate 2. normally closed by a cover plate bolts la, the said end of. the the plate I as shown On the outer end of said bore being secured to plate 2 by shaft 4 extending through more particularly in Fig. 3. shaft 4 exteriorly of the casing I is a hub ll keyed thereto as at iicus'aid hub carrying a relatively large. sprocket wheel lSb to impart rotation to the input shaft 4, as hereinafter explained.

Within casing I, upon input shaft 4, is a chain sprocket 9 keyed thereto as at 9a, and a spacer II on shaft 4 is interposed between the hub of sprocket 9 and the inner race of anti-friction bearing '5, a plate Ill being secured to ,the adiacent end of shaft 4 by bolt iila or the like and engaging the opposite end of the inner race of antifriction bearing 5. On shaft 4 engaging the opposite side of sprocket wheel 9 is a pinion H of larger diameter than sprocket 9, said pinion being keyed to shaft 4 as at Ila. On shaft 4 between the hub of pinion II and the inner race of anti friction bearing 1 is a sleeve l2 preventing axial movement of shaft 4 in its bearings.

Also iournaled within casing I, parallel but spaced from input shaft 4, is an output shaft I 4 similarly journaled in anti-"friction bearings IS in the side of easing I, said bearing l5 being disposed between the shaft i4 and the wall of bore lb in casing I, said bore being normally closed by removable cap 16 secured to casing l by bolt lie The opposite end of the shaft I4 is similarly journaled in anti-friction bearings l1 interposed between the shaft and the wall of bore 2b in plate 2 in a manner similar to the input shaft 4, said bore being normally closed by plate It removably secured thereto by bolts I811. The adjacent end of the shaft l4 extends outside of casing'l and carries thereon a relatively small sprocket wheel is keyed thereto as at i901, said sprocket l9 imparting rotation to the related 7 foimtain roll F (Fig.

1) as hereinafter explained. iupon the output shaft I4 20 keyed thereto as at 20a, said member having an annular flange 20: projecting from one side and a similar annular flange 20y projecting from the opposite side Rotatably mounted in anti-frlction'bearings 2 la on the shaft l4 adjacent the annular flange 20:: is a driving clutch member 2| freely rotating upon being properly maintained in spaced relation on the shaft l4 by means of spec ers 22 interposed between the inner racesanti I a and I5. Clutch member 2! carries a relatively large sprocket wheel 23 which Within the casing is fixedly secured thereto in any desired manner, 05

and projecting from the face of sprocket wheel 22 is an annular clutch driving ring 24, entering within the annular flange 20a: of clutchmember- Figs. 4 and 5, said ring 24 and 5) all tapering in the same adapted to wedge against the flange 20:: when disposed in the shallow ends of the recesses 24a so as to bind the clutch ring 24 to the pitch member 20 when the members 2i-24 are rotated by the sprocket 23 in one direction, and to permit the member 24 to become disengaged from the clutch member 20 when the sprocket 23 is rotated 6 in the opposite direction. Preferably the clutch ring 24 is secured to the clutch driving member 2| by bolts 25. as shown in Fig. 5.

On the opposite side of the clutch member 20 is a relatively large gear 21 iournaled on anti-friction bearing 28 mounted on the shaft i4 so that the gear may freely being maintained in spaced relation by means of spacers 29 (Fig. 4). On the face of gear 21 is a clutch driving ring 30 (Figs. 4 and 6) within the annular flange 201! of the clutch driving member 20, said ring having tapered recesses 30a therein, similar to the recesses 24a of ring 24, all sloping in the same direction. In recesses 30a are rollers 3| adapted to wedge against the clutch member 2011 when in the shallow ends of the recesses 30a and lock the gear 21 to the clutch member 20 when the gear 21 is rotated in one direction while permitting the gear 21 to freely rotate upon the shaft i4 when the gear is driven in the opposite direction. Ring 30 is secured to the face of gear 21 by means of tap screws 32 or the like. i I

The input and output shafts 4 and H are disposed in parallel relation, and are spaced apart so that the gear 21 on output shaft it meshes directly withthe pinion ii on input shaft 4. A chain 32 (Fig. 2) within the casing l runs around the spaced sprocket 23 on output shaft l4 and sprocket 9 on input shaft t. By this arrangement the input shaft 4 when rotated in one direction will cause the. clutch driving ring 24 on the output shaft i4 to rotate in the same direction and the clutch driving ring 30 on the output shaft to rotate in the opposite direction. Since the tapered slots in the clutch driving rings 24 and 30- are inclined in the same direction it is obvious that when the input shaft 4 is rotated in one direction the output shaft will be rotated in the same direction by means of the chain 33 11111-- ning around the sprockets 9 and 23, said drive also rotating the clutch driving ring 24 in the same direction and the related rollers 25 binding in the shallow ends of the inclined recesses 24a to loud: the ring 24 to the clutch member 20. At the same time the gear II on the input shaft A will freely rotate the gear 21 and the related I direction of rotation from the output shaft l4, while the meshing gears ii and 21 will continue to rotate the output shaft l4 in the same direction as when the drive is through the chain 33 and sprockets 9 and 23. Thus the clutch driving discs 24 and '20 are free to rotate upon the output shaft l4 except when driven in such direction as to cause their related rollers 26 and 31 to wedge or bind against the annular flanges 20a and 20b; 0 and whichever set of rollers 26 or 3| is being moved by the rotational forces against the clutch member 20 drives the clutch member 20, and if the input shaft direction is reversed, then the directional rotation of the gears and sprockets is reversed and one set of rollers moves into the rotate thereon, said gear 21 rotated upon the output shaft l4 in the opposite deeper ends of their inclined recesses so that the other set of rollers drives the clutch member 20 in the same direction it was driven before by the first set of rollers.

Obviously, the chain and sprocket drive of the mechanism might be replaced by a gear train equal speed reductions, or speed increases, or,

different speeds of the output shaft M, can be obtained.

Referring again to Fig. 1, two casings I are shown mounted in the frame of a printing press adjacent their related fountain rollers, and the large sprockets i3b on the input shafts 4 are shown driven by chains 40 running over sprockets 4|, on the shafts A of the impression cylinders A, thereby imparting rotation in either direction to the input shafts 4 tion the impression cylinders A are rotated. The small sprockets l9 on the output shafts M are shown with chains 42 running over same and over sprockets 44 on the shafts oi the fountain rollers F, whereby as above explained regardless of whichever direction the related impression cylinders A are rotated, the related fountain rollers F will always be rotated by means of my mechanism in the same constant direction, thus obviating the manual operations heretofore necessary in order to give the requisite fountain roll rotational movements when the rotation of the related impression cylinder is reversed.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, be made therein within the scope of the claims,

I claim:

1. In combination, a printing press having co operating printing members; means for driving the printing member an ink fountain; an ink fountain roll cooperating with the fountain for supplying ink to the printing members; and a umdirectional drive for said roll comprising a drive shaft adapted to be driven in either direction, a driven shaft driving the fountain roll, a pair of rotatable members on the driven shaft rotated in opposite directions by the drive shaft, and clutch means in said respective rotatable'members acting in the same direction for causing rotation of the driven shaft in a cons t direction by whichever rotatable member is rotating in said direction. r

2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said clutch means-comprising clutch rings carried by the rotatable members, said rings hav tapered recesses all inclined in the same direction; and rollers in said recesses adapted to lock the related ring to the driven shaft when the related rotatable member is rotating in a direction to cause binding of the rollers in their recesses.

'3. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said clutch means comprising a clutch member fixedly mounted on the driven shaft and having annular flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof; clutch rings carried by the rotatable members flanges,- said rings having tapered peripheral reall inclined in the same direction: and rollers in said recesses adapted to lock the related ring to the clutch member when the related according to Whichever direcand entering the respective annular rotatable memberis rotating in a direction to cause binding of the rollers in their recesses.

4. In, a combination as set forth in claim 1,

said drive shaft and said driven shaft being. disposed in parallel relation; a gear on one rotat able member; a second gear on the drive shaft meshing with the first gear; and means connecting thedrive shaft and other rotatable member to cause the latter to rotate in the opposite direction from the first rotatable member.

5. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said drive shaft and said driven shaft being disposed in parallel relation; a gear on one rotatable member; a second gear on the drive shaft meshing with the first gear; a sprocket on the other rotatable member; shaft; and a chain running around said sprockets.

6. In combination. a printing press having a either direction; an ink fountain; an ink fountain roll cooperating with said fountain for supplying ink to said printing couple; and a unidirectional drive for said roll comprising a drive shaft adapted to be driven in either direction by the printing couple, a driven shaft driving the fountain roll, a pair of rotatable members 'on the driven shaft rotated in opposite directions by the drive shaft, and clutch means in said respective rotatablemembers acting in the same direction for causing rotation of the driven shaft in a constant direction by whichever rotatable member is rotating in said direction.

for obviously changes may 7. In a combination as set forth in claim '6,

said clutch means comprising clutch rings carried by the rotatable members, said rings-having tapered recesses all inclined in the same direction; and rollers in said recesses adapted to lock the related ring to the driven shaft when the related rotatable member is rotating in -a direction to cause binding of the rollers in their recesses.

8. In a combination as set forth in claim 6,

said clutch means comprising a clutch member fixedly mounted on the driven shaft and having annular flanges projecting from opposite sides 4 thereof; clutch rings carried by the rotatable members and entering the respective. annular flanges, said rings having tapered peripheral recesses all inclined in the same direction; and rollers in said recesses adapted to lock the related ring to the clutch rotatable member is rotating in a direction to cause binding of the rollers in their recesses.

9. In a combination said drive shaft and said driven shaft being disposed in parallel relation; a gear on one rotatable member; a second gear on the drive shaft meshing with the-first gear; necting the drive shaft and other rotatable mem-- ber to cause the latter to rotate in the Opposite direction from the flrst rotatable member.

- said drive shaft and said driven ALBERT J. CARPENTER, JR.

a secondspi'ocket on the drive member when the related as set forth in claim 6.

and means co'n-.

chain running around 

